globalperspective2

TEHRAN — Iran denied reports on Friday that it had freed a woman sentenced to death by stoning

Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, 43,

foreign news reports, citing a group based in Germany that supports her, said Iran’s authorities

A prisoner was kneeling on the ground, blindfolded and handcuffed, when an Iraqi soldier walked over to him and kicked him in the neck. A US marine sergeant was watching and reported the incident, which was duly recorded and judged to be valid. The outcome: "No investigation required."

Another of the leaked Iraqi war logs records the case of a man who was arrested by police on suspicion of preparing a suicide bomb. In the station, an officer shot him in the leg and then, the log continues, this detainee "suffered abuse which amounted to cracked ribs, multiple lacerations and welts and bruises from being whipped with a large rod and hose across his back". This was all recorded and judged to amount to "reasonable suspicion of abuse". The outcome: "No further investigation."

This is the impact of Frago 242. A frago is a "fragmentary order" which summarises a complex requirement. This one, issued in June 2004, about a year after the invasion of Iraq, orders coalition troops not to investigate any breach of the laws of armed conflict, such as the abuse of detainees, unless it directly involves members of the coalition. Where the alleged abuse is committed by Iraqi on Iraqi, "only an initial report will be made … No further investigation will be required unless directed by HQ".

Troops on the ground filed secret field reports over six years of the occupation, purporting to tot up every casualty, military and civilian.

While detailing the 15,000 previously unknown deaths, it also omits many otherwise well-attested civilian fatalities caused by US troops themselves.

The helicopter pilots spot a crowd gathering who are described as "possible AIF". The second helicopter, Crazyhorse 21, "conducts final gun run" to strafe unnamed targets that the intelligence report does not specify.

Take the second round of shooting in the 38-minute sequence. It revolves around a dark-coloured minivan that approaches a wounded man lying by the pavement and trying to drag himself to his feet. Two men jump out and go to his aid. Neither is carrying a weapon. They pay no attention to the bodies lying several yards away. Yet the cockpit recording has their commander saying "they have individuals going to the scene, looks like possibly uh picking up bodies and weapons". The helicopters get permission to blast the van regardless, even though firing on people who are aiding casualties violates US rules of engagement and international law

An intelligently thought-out script acted with powerful but restrained emotion makes ''Shattered Dreams,'' a new made-for-television film about wife abuse to be seen tomorrow at 9 P.M. on CBS, a moving and believable drama.

Mr. Fedders is depicted here as the ambitious, hard-working and bright but moody lawyer who had been director of enforcement for the Securities and Exchange Commission until his resignation after the publicity of a courtroom divorce trial. During that trial, his wife accused him of savagely beating her.

Mrs. Fedders was brutally beaten seven times, yet until the final desperation, she always went back. The couple had five children during their 17-year marriage.

But some reporters are still grappling with the criticism that their coverage has been too "negative." ABC's Baghdad correspondent Neal Karlinsky told Nightline (10/15/03) that "there's a lot of good news stories here that we are trying to get out. And, quite frankly, news events sometimes get in the way of that.

If you consider that these reporters, many of them tell us they want to go cover the new school opening, but they can't because there's another bombing or shooting and that prevents them from sending that story?"